Saturday 2 March 2013. Ryman League, Division One South.
Walton & Hersham 0 Maidstone United 4.
Two goals scored by the visitors just before half-time and another five minutes after killed off any hopes Swans had of causing an upset against the Division’s front-runners. After being dominated by the Kent side in the early stages Swans had come back into the game well, and they looked like going in to the break level, but slack defensive work in the 42nd minute and three minutes later resulted in them going 2-0 down. With Swans’ lack of goals over recent games looking likely to continue, realistically there was little chance of them coming back from that position.
Both Chris Grayland and Adriano Moraes returned following suspension, Grayland joining Greg Ngeno in central defence and Moraes playing in midfield, with Courtney Warren moving up to right midfield. Liam Collins was still unfortunately missing through injury and Graeme Purdy was not risked, only taking a watching brief on the bench.
The visitors looked a threat from the start and they went close after five minutes following a move inside the left of the box. Stuart King got in a shot from close-in by the left-post, but Swans’ goalkeeper Audie Matheson-Light just blocked the ball away.
Swans first opportunity came after 19 minutes when they won a free-kick on the right, but no-one could get on the end of Moraes’ kick. Swans had withstood Maidstone’s early pressure and they began to come more into the game. Some good play on the left was ended with a foul just outside the left-corner of the box that gave them another free-kick opportunity, and Chris Wales was unfortunate to see his effort curl just wide of the left-post.
Alex Flisher’s long throws had looked a potent weapon for the visitors, and when he took one from the right Steve Watt got in a header that Matheson-Light had to dive to his left to keep out. Tim Olorunda then headed wide at the far-post from Michael Phillips’ left-side corner-kick. Wales’ slack ball back towards his own goal almost gave Maidstone the chance to take the lead, but Ade Olorunda was just denied by Ngeno getting back to make a vital challenge on the edge of the box.
Swans looked to have done enough to see them go in at the break level, but with just three minutes of normal-time of the first-half left some slack marking cost them a goal. Ade Olorunda was allowed a free run into the right of the six-yard box to collect the ball, turn and thump a shot into the net from a tight angle.
Maidstone’s second goal in the final minute of the half was even poorer from Swans’ point of view. No-one took the responsibility of dealing with Flisher’s long throw from the left, and Ade Olorunda nipped in to prod the ball home.
Maidstone almost made it 3-0 inside the first minute of the second-half as Rory Hill got round Ngeno on the right, but his shot flew across goal and wide.
At the other end Jaymo Ellis made a good run across the box from the right, but he could not get his shot away.
But with just five minutes of the second-half played Swans were slow to react to a quickly taken throw-in on the left, and when the ball was crossed to the far-post King stole in to score with a left-foot volley that Matheson-Light got to but could not keep out.
Connor French continued to work hard for Swans up front, and he did well inside the right of the box, but shot just wide of the far-post.
With an hour played Maidstone’s Watt got on the end of Phillips’ corner from the right, but his header flew over.
Ross Nunn had replaced Warren for Swans, and when Wales played him into the left of the box his low cross found French, but he was just denied by Stones’ keeper Deren Ibrahim saving at his feet. Wales then made a strong run forward, but he drove his shot over.
As the match entered the final quarter of an hour a long ball forward by Maidstone was nodded through to get King clear on the left, but Matheson-Light was quickly out to make a fine block from his shot. But a minute later the visitors made it 4-0 with another simple goal. It again followed a quickly taken throw-in on the left, and when the ball was played into the box the Swans’ defence gifted the ball to King, who was then allowed far too much time and space to drive the ball home.
King had the chance to notch his hat-trick when a simple long ball down the middle got him clear into the box, but Matheson-Light made a fine save from a strong shot.
Swans had one last, fleeting opportunity to end their goal famine when French’s good through ball almost got Ellis in for a chance.
Swans’ Team: Audie Matheson-Light, Steve Betancourt, John Clark, Chris Grayland, Greg Ngeno, Adriano Moraes (Stewart Luwawa 75’), Courtney Warren (Ross Nunn 56’), Chris Wales (Liam Flanighan 84’), Connor French, Jaymo Ellis, Victor Kiri. Subs. not used: Graeme Purdy, Chris Manderson. Cautions: Clark, foul (37’), Moraes, foul (69’).
Maidstone Team: Ibrahim, Osborne, Mills, Watt (Sobers 66’), Andrews (Draycott 80’), T. Olorunda, Phillips, Hill, A. Olorunda (Welford 61’), King, Flisher. Subs. not used: Woolery, Mitten. Scorers: A. Olorunda 42’ & 45’, King 50’ & 78’. Caution: A. Olorunda, foul (35’).
